Introduction to the Glen Group of Parishes

The Parishes of Pinchbeck, Surfleet and West Pinchbeck are joined together as a United Benefice known as the Glen Group of Parishes. The benefice includes two church schools, St Bartholomew’s Church of England Primary School West Pinchbeck and Pinchbeck East Church of England Primary School. The Glen Group of Parishes is regarded as having a role of strategic importance in the Deanery of Elloe West. The three villages are situated just north of Spalding in south Lincolnshire. The Glen Group is located in the Diocese of Lincoln. In the Glen Group we are seeking to be collaborative and imaginative in our approach to mission and ministry.

The Three Villages

The benefice has a population of around 7,000 people. The largest population centre is Pinchbeck with a population of just under 5000 people. Pinchbeck is an attractive residential village, with a number of amenities including a post office, several shops and pubs. A Morrison’s Superstore, serving the wider Spalding area, is in the parish. West Pinchbeck has some amenities such as convenience stores and a post office but tends to rely more heavily on its larger neighbour and Spalding. Surfleet has a couple of pubs and a number of small shops.

The district

Spalding is an expanding (c25,000 people) ancient market town in south Lincolnshire, situated about half an hour (by train or car) north of Peterborough (where there are fast rail links to London). The area around Spalding is one of the country’s main centres for food production and distribution.

Spalding and the surrounding communities are experiencing significant growth in population. This development in the demography of the area is having significant implications for the three parishes and the Deanery of Elloe West as a whole. While the Deanery is committed to meet these changing needs and expectations, the parishes of Pinchbeck, Surfleet and West Pinchbeck will change considerably during the next few years. This will present the churches with many new challenges.

Jobs in the area range through education, accounting, health services, retail trades, food industry, local government, horticulture & agriculture, and transport (especially road haulage). Unemployment is very low; average wages in the agricultural and food industries are also relatively low. There are now quite a number of economic migrants working in agriculture and local churches are trying to respond to their needs.

Worship

The three parishes share a broadly central style of Anglican worship, using a mixture of Common Worship Order One and Order One (Traditional). Services of All Age Worship provide an important outreach in the life of each of the parishes.

The Vicarage

The Vicar of the Glen Group lives in Pinchbeck in a newly acquired Vicarage on Spalding Road. The Vicarage is a substantial five bedroom home set in a quarter acre garden that lies within the historic Pinchbeck conservation area. There is a large office in the Vicarage. The Vicarage is the location for many meetings and interviews, as well as youth nights and various social events.